So what do "we" do about encouraging more kids to learn to fly?
Well, I have this theory that nobody should be allowed to drive a car until they've got a pilots licence. Teach them something about something called "safety", that would, not something a lot of drivers seem to have heard of or worry about overmuch. So, if any kid who wanted to be allowed to drive a car had to learn to fly first ...
Not practical politics, however, I'm afraid.